Fall is my favorite time of year to visit the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Harrodsburg, Kentucky only 26 miles from Lexington. As the largest restored Shaker community on 2900 acres of farmland and 34 restored 19th-century buildings, if you want to learn about this interesting way of life that has all but disappeared, you must visit. Climb aboard the horse drawn carriage and take a short ride through the village. Or wait until dark for guided walk through the town. Believe me even with a lantern in your hand it raises the hair on your neck when voices come out of the candle lit houses (by actors reading journals from the 1800s) or run into the streets in costume shouting to the unseen.
Shakers, disciples of Mother Ann Lee who renounced the sinful outside world, shared work and the fruits of their labor. They made simple and ingenious items for everyday life. All the food they ate they grew, tended or if necessary bartered for. Everything they did including the development of scientific farming, they did to glorify God: they were also called United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Coming. Shakers were so named because of the shaking they did to rid themselves of sins. Alas the settlement was done for by 1910 when it was sold. The last of the Shakers had disappeared, their law of celibacy to blame for lack of successors.
Today the settlement is cared for by a foundation and is open to the public for tours, hikes, a meal or a stay. Meals are served family style in the Trustees’ Office (dining room) and are as they were then, simple, beautiful and delicious. The rooms in the Trustees’ House are the sought after so book there. Worth a stay.
Here is a sugar cookie from the Shaker’s recipe book, perfect to decorate for Halloween or the holidays.
www.shakervillageky.org
Kentucky’s Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill’s Sugar Cookie
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
From the recipe book “We Make You Kindly Welcome” a summary of beloved recipes from Pleasant Hill Press. Plan a visit to this restored Shaker settlement in Kentucky and enjoy their hospitality, accommodations and simply-wonderful meals.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (115 g) butter
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup (360 ml) flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar until well blended.
- Beat in egg and vanilla, mixing well.
- Sift dry ingredients together; add this to creamed mixture and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Roll out floured surface and cut out desired shapes.
- Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees F until firm but not brown ( 8 to 10 min but check your oven) . Cool and decorate as desired.
- Note: You may also roll into a cylinder shape chilled and cut off into simple rounds
- If using a cookie press omit the chilling.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: cookie
- Cuisine: Shaker
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this sugar cookie recipe come from?
The article explains it comes directly from the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill’s recipe book — the largest restored Shaker community in the US, on 2,900 acres in Harrodsburg, Kentucky with 34 restored 19th-century buildings. The Shakers were known for simple, ingenious approaches to food and everyday life, and meals are still served family style in the Trustees’ Office dining room.
Why does the dough need to chill for at least 2 hours before rolling?
Chilling firms the butter in the dough so it’s stiff enough to roll out cleanly on a floured surface and cut into shapes without sticking or spreading. Note: if using a cookie press, the instructions specifically say to omit the chilling step.
What am I looking for when the cookies are done baking?
Bake at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes — the recipe says until firm but not brown, and notes to check your oven since temperatures vary. You want the cookies set and firm to the touch but still pale; they continue to firm up as they cool on the sheet.
